Boiler tube and flue cleaner.



H. s. STORMER. BOILER TUBE AND FLUE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7,1908.

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H.. S. STORMER. BOILEE TUBE AND ELUE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7,1908.

, Patented Feb. '15, 1910.

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Mgyow/fzew @im Ja/w m an imi@ HARRY S. STOItMIElB,4 OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER TUBE AND :E IUlll CLEANER.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 15, 11910,

Application tiled April 7,1908. Serial No. 425,730.

To all whom 'ii may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. STORMER, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boiler Tube and' Flue Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boiler tube and flue cleaners,and more particularly to that class of cleaners comprising a rotary motor actuated by a suitable pressure medium fed through a hollow tube or pipe connected to the cleaner and serving as a handle for manipulating the cleaner while in operation.

The present invention is an improvement of the construction disclosed by my Patent No. 874,258, datedDecember 1.7, 1907, and embodies a different type of motor and a cleaning head rotatably associated with the remaining mechanism by means of modified connecting devices but embodying a ball and socket joint and operating by a pounding action as well as penetration to loosen and remove scale or other .material .adhering to the interior of a tube or iue in a manner similar to the operation described in my patent. In the present Ainstance the construction is very much simplified and is stronger and.

more durable than theconstruction covered by my patent and any part can be replaced at a small cost.- y

In the improved structure the several parts are so constructed and arranged as to perfectly liuc up with one setting and the front working extremity or mechanism is so constituted that any part thereof may be replaced by anyone, whether skilled in mechanical structure or not, and, further, this advanced working mechanism is advantageous in that it does not embody in its or-' ganization small fastenin screws or pins which are liable to shear o or break;

Other advantageous structural details will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of av tube `or flue cleaner f enibodying the features of the invention.

lfig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the h ne 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse veitical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4

is a transverse vertical section on thelirref' 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the parts of the motor shown separated. vFig. 7 is a perspective,

view of the partsof the working mechanism in advance of the motor and also shown separated.

Similar characters of reference are einployed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. j `The main body of the cleaner comprises a cylindrical casing 1 having the opposite extremities interiorly screw-threaded to receive rear and front caps 2 and 3. The rear cap 2 is flared or cupped to provide a chambei' 4 for the reception and distribution of a pressure medium which is fed into said chamber througl'i a tube or pipe 5 of any suitable form centrally secured to the cap and Which may be of any suitable length and serve as a handle for manipulating the cleaner. The front closing cap 3 has its connected extremity similarly flared and cupped to provide an exhaust chamber 6 and is also formed' With a plurality of exhaust openings 7, both `caps 2 and 3 having suitable'A angular Wrench-engaging proj ections 8 for apply- -ing and removing the saine i`n relation to The front cap 3,

the cylindrical casing 1. has a .central opening 9 therein Athrough Which projects the front extremity of a rotary shaft or axle 10 continuous .with a rotary piston 11 mounted in and cooperating with a cylinder 12 which is forced into the casing 1 by pressure and is formed with an eccentric bore 13, see Fig. 4, extending therethrough from end to end. The cylinder 12 is engaged at opposite extremities by bronze bep-rings 14 and 15 the front bearing 15 being provided with an exhaust opening 1G and a smaller opening 17 to receive a doivel pin 18 projecting from the adjacent end of the cylinder 12. The bearing 14 is formed with an inlet port or opening llland a smalle-r opening 20 to receive a dowel pin '21 0n the adjacent end of the cylinder 12,

and both .bearings f are centrally counterbored as at 22 to receive shouldered poi'- l *the formation of a tight joint at each end of the cylinder or motor by instituting a snug fitting between the bearings and the cylinder ends. The front bearing lli'has a.

forwardly projecting integral sleeve 26 through which the shaft or axle 10 rotatably projects, and the rear bearing 14.- has a rearwardly projecting cap 27 extendlng into the chamber 4 and closing over the rear extremity of the rotary piston 11 which is reduced and tits within the said cap. The portions of the rotary piston engaging the sleeve 26 and the cap 27 may be termed journals for the said piston and with the counterbores 22 serve to maintain the piston in pro'pcr position Within the cylinder 12. The inlet port 19 in the bearing 14 communicates with a passage or inlet groove 28 in the rear end of the cylinder 12, and the exhaust or outlet opening 16 likewise.v registers with an outlet passage or groove. 29, the inlet port 19 being of less diameter than the outlet opening or port 16, so that the exhaust may be quickly liberated through the said opening or port 16. The rotary piston 11 is equipped with a pair of radially movable blades or wings 30 and 31 having their inner opposing edges movably assembled and reversely cutaway, as at 32, to provide a flush break joint, and the inner portions of the blades or wings are also transversely bored as at to receive expelling springs 84 tending to normally force the blades 30 and- 31 outwardly and maintain the ends of the said blades in continual con tact with the eccentric bore or piston chamber 13. The piston 11 is of materially less diameter than the bore or chamber 13 and consequently theblades or Wings 30 and 31 are permitted to alternately move inwardly and outwardly with respect to the piston, as will be readily understood. The front extremity or terminal of the shaft or axle 10\vhich projects continuously from the rotary piston 11 or forms an integral part of the latter is reduced and formed with a Hat- -tened surface 36, or angular' in cross-section to receive a wrench for holding the said .shaft or axle when .applying the advance working mechanism thereto or when removing said mechanism, and said reduced eX- tremity of the shaftor axle is also exteriorly screw-threaded for coupling purposes, as will be presently explained.

The advance working or scale and sediment loosening mechanism comprises a socket member 37 secured`` to the front reduced extremityof the shaft or axle 10 bv a coupling device or sleeve 38 which is suitably interiorly and exteriorly screw-threaded to engage the front extremity of the shaft and tit within the rear extremity of thevsocket member 37,

vthe said coupling device or sleeve 38 having a circumferential flange 39 a ainst which the rear end of the socket mem er has bearing when the attachmentI of these parts is completed. The socket member 37 has an elongated bore 40 therethrou h or is tubular, andthe front extremity o the bore yis regularly contracted in the arc of a circle,

as at 4l, and the front extremity of the socket member has the edge around the bore removed or cut away in a concaved plane, as at 42, to give a clearance for a Swinging part, which will be presently explained.

The flange 39 of the coupling device 38 is provided with wrench engaging faces 43, as shown by Fig. 7, and the advance Working mechanism, which is connected to the socket member 37 may be simultaneously applied with the said socket tol the front reduced extremity of the shaftor axle 10. or similarly removed from the said shaft extremity. The socket member 87 is circumferentially grooved as at 44 and is also formed with a diametrically extending opening 45 to removably receive a coupling key or pin 46 having oneend formed withv a recess or cavity 47. A removable spring keeper 48, consisting of a resilient band, is

secured in the groove 44, and is, provided with an inwardly extending projection 49 to engage the recess or cavity 47 of the coupling key or pin 46. It will be seen that the keeper 48 prevents the pin 46jfrom1becoming accidentally disengaged or slipping ,out of the socket member 37, and the d1ametrically extending opening 45 in which the pin 46 is removably seated may at times be used, when the pin is removed, for introducing suitable lubricating material into th socket member 37. The keeper 48, when applied to the socket member 37, has its outer ,surface Hush with the adjacent surface of the said member so as to avoid formation of interfering projections that would soon become worn and detract from the usefulness and function of the said keeper. The socket member 37 is engaged by a spherical or ball head 50 having a central stem 51v projecting therefrom and terminally screwthreaded. A'slot 62 is formed in and extends diametrically through the head 50 and opens fully also through the rear extremity of the said head, the opening 52 having a transverse extent sufficient to permit the' key or pin 46 to be inserted therethrough and readily removed from the head. Tie front wall 53 of the slot 52 is convex so as to permit the head to roll or move in opposite lateral directions on the key or pin 46. The key or pin 46'prevents the head .'30 from turning in the socket and moving rearwardly beyonda a predetermined point, and the rear portion of 'the said head 'is cut away as at 54 to clear the forward extremity of the coupling sleeve 38 and thus avoid the/least restriction to the movement of the said head, or to provide a-universally movable connectionwhich is separably attached to the shaft. Loosely intel-locked eye members 55 and 56 of eye-connecting bolts 57 and '58 are attached to the spherical head 50, the eye bolt 57 having a rearwardly projecting 'screw-threaded shank 59 which is connected to the stem 51 of the head 50 by a coupling sleeve G0 having outer wrench-engaging faces 61 at the center, the threads on the stem 5l and shank 59 being so disposed as to facilitate the drawing together or assemblage of the said stem and shank and to resist accidental loosening movement. The eye bolt 58 has a forwardly projecting screw-threaded shank G2 `connected to the central portion of the rear end of a cleaning head (S3, the latter being preferably of conical forni, as shown, and presenting a con- .ically curved Working surface with cutting ribs Gi projecting therefrom at intervals provided withY angular edges G5 to facilitate loosening and removal of scale or sediment from the interior of tubes or fines. Each rib G4 presents one cutting edge 65, and the spaces between the ribs serve as clearance means for the loosened scale or sediment. The ribs G4 taper equally with the remaining portion of the cleaning head from the rear extremity toward the front end ot' the latter and such 'forni of head will be found exceptionally e' cient in performing the function for Whic i it has' been devised.

From thel foregoin it Will be seen that all the parts of the cleaner may be readily dissociated and assembled, and in the event that any part becomes Worn and uniit for use or broken it .may be readily replaced at a minimum cost and Without interfering With the operation of the remaining parts which may still be in good Working order. Furthermore, it Will be observed that the 4use of small connecting devices or means outlet port 16 into the chamber 6 and escapes.

through the Vopening 7 into the tube or iiue being cleaned, vvith'advantages in assisting in the cleaning operation or facilitating loosening of the scale or sediment adhering to the interior of the tube or flue. The rotation of the piston 11 is directly transmit-- ted to the shaft or axle 10 Without the least lost motion and from the said shaft or axle 10 the advance working or cleaning mechanism is similarly rotated and at the same time the cleaning head 63 is thrown laterally inv opposite directions with a pounding action against the inner Wall of the tube or flue with considerable force and at. the same time that 'thesaid head is rotated. This operation of the cleaning head 63 Will result in an expeditious loosening of the scale or-sedinient, and as the head is continually changing its angular position the interior portion of the tube or flue Will be fully engaged and at the same time the exhaust motive Huid Will forcefully drive the loosened material ahead or in advance of the mechanism .and materially aid in preventing the cleaning head 63 from becoming clogged as Well as obstruct the backward movement vof the removed 'scale' or sediment and penetration thereof into the working parts, though the joints between the several parts are all so I10 respectively and communicate with the Wings 30 and 31 centrally disposed in the motor or piston, and at other points oil ducts may be provided Where necessary tofk'eep.

the several parts Well lubricated, it'fbeing,v

required to thoroughly lubricate the cleaner' after each use or cleaning operation, or when the cleaner has completed the removal of scale or sediment from the tube or tlue. The ducts G6 and G7 communicate with the slot in the piston 11 in which the wings 30 and 31 are mounted and have movement in order t0 ease the operation ofthe said Wings, as Will be readily understood. 1t Will be observed that the shaft or axle 10 is continuous with the rotary piston and directly transmits the rotary movement ofsaid shaft to the, advance Working or scale and sediment removing mechanism. As i'n my patent hereinbefore mentioned, the ball and socket connection between the shaft and axle and the cleaning head 63 is advantageous, and in addition the engaged eye-bolts forming a universal joint connection renders the cleaning headf very sensitive `and effective in its operation.

1t will be understood that changes in the proportions, dimensions and n iinor details may be resorted to or adopted Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1.. 1n a tube or Hue cleaner, a motor means having a shaft rotatably projecting therefrom, a ball and socket joint separatel attached to the projecting extremity o the shaft, a cutter head having a link connecting means carried thereby and forming a universal joint, and means separately engaging a portion of the link connecting means and the ball of the said ball and socket joint whereby the ball and socket joint and the link connecting means with the cutter may as a whole be detached from the shaft or the link connecting means -and cutter. disconnected 1from the ball and socket joint.

2. ln a tube or flue cleaner, a motor means having a shaft rotatably projecting therefrom, a ball and socket joint separably attached to the projecting extremity of the shaft, a cutter head, a loose link connection attached to the cutter head, and a coupling means detachably connecting the ball of the ball and socket joint and a portion of the loose link connection.

3. In a tube or flue cleaner, a motor means having a shaft rotatably projecting therefrom, a universal joint separablyattached to the projecting extremity of the shaft, a cutter head, a loose link connection attached to the cutter head, and a coupling means detachably connecting the movable portion of the universal joint and a part Vof the said loose linkconnection.

4. ln a tube or flue cleaner, a motor mea-ns having a shaft rotatably projected therefrom, a socket detachably connected to the projected portion of the shaft and having a transverse opening, a slotted spherical head mounted in the socket and having a forwardly projecting stem, a pin removably engaging the socket and slotted spherical head, a resilient band ittedon the socket and having a portion engaging one end of the pin, a cutter head, and a loose link connection inspherical head from the socket meniber, a4

cutter head, and a loose link connection in part fixed to the cutter head and having the remaining portion detachably connected to the stem of the spherical head.

6. In 'a tube or ue cleaner, a motor means -having a shaft rotatably projecting therefrom, a socket member separably attached to the projecting extremity ofthe shaft, a spherical head loosely mounted in the socket member and having a forwardly projecting stem, a cutter head, a loose link connection attached to the cutter head, and a coupling sleeve detachably connecting the stem4 ot the spherical head and one of the links cr' the loose link connection.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto se my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY S. STORMER. Witnesses:

R. I. HAYE, D. J. Jonas. 

